embryonic stem cells

[Nature Genetics] Using a knock-in strategy in mouse ESCs, researchers showed that orphan CpG islands were an essential component of poised enhancers that augmented their long-range regulatory activity and controlled the responsiveness of their target genes.

[Communications Biology] Investigators demonstrated conditions for in vitro reconstitution of a testicular environment from ESCs and provided further insights into the generation of sperm entirely in xeno-free culture.

[Nature Cell Biology] Researchers used ESC and mouse embryo knock‐in reporter systems to combine time-resolved lineage labelling with high-resolution single-cell transcriptomics, which allowed them to resolve the morphogenetic programs that segregated the mesoderm from the endoderm germ layer.

[Cell Research] Investigators reported a novel type of nucleic acid-based antiviral system that existed in mouse ESCs (mESCs), which suppressed RNA virus infection by DNA-mediated RNA cleavage, providing intriguing insights into the antiviral mechanism of mESCs.

[Stem Cell Reviews and Reports] Stress-induced changes in viral receptor and susceptibility gene expression were measured in ESCs and differentiated progeny. Bulk RNAseq transcriptomic analysis showed significant upregulation of two genes involved in Covid-19 cell uptake, Vimentin and Transmembrane Serine Protease 2.

[Cell Death & Disease] Investigators showed that truncation of the DIDO gene altered RNA splicing and transcription termination in ESC and mouse embryo fibroblasts, which affected genes involved in both differentiation and reprogramming.